The Practice of Yoga & Strength with Ashtanga Yogini/Competitive Bodybuilder Nika Carlson

Nika Carlson (@nikayogini) and I (@adarshw) sat down for a conversation about life as a serious Ashtanga Yoga practitioner and competitive bodybuilder. While I've met numerous fitness enthusiasts that do some yoga, I have not met many hardcore Ashtangis that lift heavy weights. 

Well, Nika is the rare person that maintains a steady 3rd Series Ashtanga practice while training, prepping, and living a competition-ready lifestyle. 

We discuss some of the overlap and differences in these disciplines, and how yogis might benefit from strength, plus:

Common myths from the yoga world about strength training (heavy weights make you stiff, right?)
Do yoga techniques like breath or Mula Bandha help in the gym?
From a fitness point of view, are yoga practitioners fit?
What happens when your body adapts to yoga?
Advice for yogis interested in starting strength 

We had such a fun talk, including how Nika's opera teacher taught her to "sing from the crotch" and stories from Mysore, India, incredible yoga teachers, and more. In fact we are already planning our next conversation where we'll get into more specifics about adopting how you can supplement your practice with strength. 

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If you are interested in adding Strength & Mobility to your yoga,

check out my course: https://www.adarshyoga.com/yoga-strength-mobility